Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 6 March 2012 — UPM‑Kymmene v Commission

(Case T-53/06)

Competition — Agreements, decisions and concerted practices — Plastic industrial bags sector — Decision finding an infringement of Article 81 EC — Duration of the infringement — Single and continuous infringement — Fines — Gravity of the infringement — Mitigating circumstances — Undertaking playing a passive role — Proportionality

1.                     Competition — Administrative procedure — Commission decision finding an infringement — Evidence which has to be gathered — Degree of evidential value required (Art. 81(1) EC) (see para. 28)

2.                     Competition — Agreements, decisions and concerted practices — Agreements and concerted practices constituting a single infringement — Undertakings that may be held responsible for participating in an overall cartel — Criteria — Participation in identical or similar collusive arrangements covering the same products — Not included (Art. 81(1) EC) (see paras 52-54, 62, 65)

3.                     Competition — Fines — Amount — Determination — Criteria — Deterrent effect of the fine — Application of a multiplying coefficient — Taking into account of the overall turnover of the undertaking — Discretion of the Commission (Art. 81(1) EC; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2); Commission Notice 98/C 9/03, Section 1A, fourth and fifth paras) (see paras 76-77, 79-83)

4.                     Competition — Fines — Amount — Determination — Turnover taken into consideration — Reference year — Last complete year of the infringement (Art. 81(1) EC; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2)) (see paras 88, 91-92)

5.                     Competition — Fines — Amount — Determination — Criteria — Gravity of the infringement — Mitigating circumstances — Passive or ‘follow-my-leader’ role of the undertaking — Criteria for assessment (Art. 81(1) EC; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2); Commission Notice 98/C 9/03, Section 3, first indent) (see paras 107-108)

6.                     Competition — Fines — Amount — Determination — Non-imposition or reduction of the fine for cooperation of the undertaking concerned — Need for conduct which facilitated the Commission’s finding of an infringement — Inability to supply information because relevant documents not kept following the transfer of the subsidiary — No effect (Art. 81(1) EC; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2); Commission Notice 96/C 207/04) (see paras 115-117)

7.                     Competition — Fines — Amount — Determination — Criteria — Gravity of the infringement — Aggravating circumstances — Repeated infringement — Similar infringements successively committed by two subsidiaries of the same parent (Art. 81(1) EC; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2); Commission Notice 98/C 9/03) (see paras 129-133)

8.                     Competition — Fines — Amount — Determination — Deterrent effect — General requirement having to guide the Commission throughout the calculation of fines — Specific stage for an overall assessment of all relevant circumstances not imperative (Art. 81(1) EC; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2); Commission Notice 98/C 9/03, Section 1A) (see paras 134-138)

9.                     Competition — Fines — Amount — Determination — Criteria — Gravity of the infringement — Obligation to take account of the actual impact on the market — Scope (Art. 81(1) EC; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2); Commission Notice 98/C 9/03) (see paras 143-146)

Re:

APPLICATION for annulment of Commission Decision C(2005) 4634 final of 30 November 2005 relating to a proceeding pursuant to Article 81 [EC] (Case COMP/F/38.354 — Industrial bags).

Operative part

The Court:

1.

Annuls Commission Decision C(2005) 4634 final of 30 November 2005 relating to a proceeding pursuant to Article 81 [EC] (Case COMP/F/38.354 — Industrial bags) in so far as it holds UPM-Kymmene Oyj liable for the single and continuous infringement referred to in Article 1(1) thereof, in respect of the period prior to 10 October 1995;

2.

Sets the amount of the fine imposed by Article 2(j) of that decision at EUR 50.7 million;

3.

Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

4.

Orders the European Commission and UPM-Kymmene each to bear their own costs.